The present invention generally relates to a form for mailing an article requiring special services. More specifically, the present invention relates to a generic mailing label which may be configured to serve as a special service mailing label and which may be automatically dispensed by a mailing label vending machine. In addition, the present invention relates to a method and system for fully automating the imaging of a generic mailing label to configure the same as a special service mailing label.
It is, of course, known to provide specialized postal processing and handling of particular mailpieces. Such special services include the preparation of certified mail, registered mail, insured mail, recorded delivery mail, return receipt for merchandise mail, C.O.D. and the like. The primary disadvantage of such special service mailings is that they require a rather extensive amount of manual preparation and labor prior to mailing. The known procedures typically require printing or writing information on various slips of paper and then attaching such slips to the outside of an envelope or other mailpiece. Often, carbon paper is used to assist in making the attachments. As an example, to prepare a certified mailpiece, the forms are supplied by the United States Postal Service to the customer. The customer must separately address and complete a certified mailing receipt, both faces of a return receipt card, an envelope or mailpiece in which the mail is to be mailed and a request for return service on the face of the envelope. Then, the customer or postal service employee must affix each of the completed parts to the envelope using glue, an adhesive, tape or the like.
Clearly, the current methods known for preparing mailpieces or shipping items for special services are tedious, complicated, and labor intensive, particularly for businesses and institutions in which items such as notifications, reminders, or valuable documents are commonly sent by specialized mail services. In many instances, the delivery of such mailpieces must be documented by recording of U.S. Postal Service or other service return receipt when it arrives back to the sender. This task is also time consuming and has great potential for error when all of the identifying information from each return receipt card must be entered or recorded by hand.
Despite these shortcomings, the various special service types of mailing are still used extensively by individuals as well as companies. However, when the above-mentioned difficulties in processing such mail and preparing the same for mailing are multiplied by a large number of mailpieces, the time and labor intensive nature of preparing the special service mailings becomes quite costly and results in an inefficient use of employee time. Further complicating such procedures is the fact that different types of forms and envelopes are used for each different type of special mailing service.
A need, therefore, exists for an improved special service mailing assembly which can be prepared substantially automatically and which can be used for all types of special mailing services.
The present invention provides a generic mailing label which can be automatically configured to serve as a special service mailing label. In addition, the present invention provides a method and a system for fully automating the imaging of the generic mailing label to configure the same as a special service mailing label.
To this end, in an embodiment, the present invention provides a method for automating imaging of a generic mailing label for one of a plurality of special mailing services for a mailpiece requiring delivery by a selected one of the plurality of special mailing services. The method comprises the steps of: providing a label; selecting one of the plurality of special mailing services for the mailpiece; and printing imaging data on the label with a multi-colored panel ribbon wherein the imaging data is associated with the selected one of the plurality of special mailing services.
In an embodiment, the method further comprises the steps of: entering data necessary to effect delivery of the mailpiece by the selected one of the plurality of special mailing services for the mailpiece; and processing the data to generate the corresponding imaging data.
In an embodiment, the method further comprises the step of: printing textual information on the label with one panel area of the multi-colored panel ribbon wherein the textual information is part of the imaging data.
In an embodiment, the method further comprises the step of: printing a colored background on a designated area of the label with one of a plurality of colored panel areas on the multi-colored panel ribbon, wherein the colored background conforms with existing postal guidelines on a color designation representative of the selected one of the plurality of special mailing services.
In an embodiment, the method further comprises the step of: sequentially printing (a) textual information on the label with one panel area of the multi-colored panel ribbon wherein the textual information is part of the imaging data, and (b) a colored background on a designated area of the label with one of a plurality of colored panel areas on the multi-colored panel ribbon, wherein the colored background conforms with existing postal guidelines on a color designation representative of the selected one of the plurality of special mailing services.
In an embodiment, the method further comprises the steps of: positioning an area of the label to be printed in substantially parallel and adjacent relation to the multi-colored panel ribbon; and effecting movement between the area of the label to be printed and the multi-colored panel ribbon for the printing of imaging data.
In another embodiment of the present invention, a system is provided for automating imaging of a generic mailing label for one of a plurality of special mailing services for a mailpiece requiring delivery by a selected one of the plurality of special mailing services. The system comprises: means for selecting one of the plurality of special mailing services for the mailpiece; and a multi-colored panel ribbon for printing imaging data on the label wherein the imaging data is associated with the selected one of the plurality of special mailing services.
In an embodiment, the system further comprises: means for entering data necessary to effect delivery of the mailpiece by the selected one of the plurality of special mailing services for the mailpiece; and means for processing the data to generate corresponding imaging data.
In an embodiment, the system further comprises: a panel area on the multi-colored panel ribbon for printing textual information on the label wherein the textual information is part of the imaging data.
In an embodiment, the system further comprises: a plurality of colored panel areas on the multi-colored panel ribbon for printing respective colored backgrounds on a designated area of the label wherein each respective colored background conforms with existing postal guidelines on a color designation representative of the selected one of the plurality of special mailing services.
In an embodiment, the system further comprises: a plurality of substantially planar and rectangular colored panel areas adjacently positioned on the multi-colored panel ribbon.
In an embodiment, the system further comprises: a substantially planar and rectangular panel area on the multi-colored panel ribbon for printing textual information on the label wherein the textual information is part of the imaging data and wherein the panel area has a size corresponding to an overall area of the label to be imprinted with the textual information.
In an embodiment, the system further comprises: a plurality of substantially planar and rectangular colored panel areas adjacently positioned on the multi-colored panel ribbon for printing respective colored backgrounds on a designated area of the label wherein each respective colored background conforms with existing postal guidelines on a color designation representative of the selected one of the plurality of special mailing services and wherein each colored panel area has a size corresponding to the designated area of the label to be imprinted with the colored background.
It is, therefore, an advantage of the present invention to provide an improved assembly for mailing an article requiring delivery by a special service.
Another advantage of the present invention is to provide a method and system for fully automating the imaging of variable information upon a generic mailing label resulting in a special service mailing label.
A further advantage of the present invention is to provide a simplified method and system for mailing an article requiring delivery by a special service.
Moreover, it is an advantage of the present invention to provide a method and system for configuring a generic mailing label to serve as one of several types of special service mailing labels.
In addition, an advantage of the present invention is to provide a method and system for generating a special service mailing label from a postal vending machine.
Additional features and advantages of the present invention are described in, and will be apparent from, the detailed description of the presently preferred embodiments and from the drawings.